Sir Geoffrey Robert Rowland (born 1948) was the

Bailiff of Guernsey The title Bailiff of Guernsey has been used since at least the 13th century and indicated the leading citizen of Guernsey. The 90th and current Bailiff is Sir Richard McMahon. History A ''Bailli'', the early Norman name for Bailiff was the ...

from 2005 to 2012.

Life

Having studied law at the

University of Southampton The University of Southampton (abbreviated as ''Soton'' in post-nominal letters) is a public university, public research university in Southampton, England. Southampton is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universit ...

, graduating in 1969, Rowland was called to the English Bar at

Gray's Inn The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister in England and Wale ...

in 1970 and admitted as an Advocate of the Royal Court, Guernsey, in 1971. He was in practice as an Advocate of the Royal Court in the firm of Collas, Day & Rowland 1971 - 1992. He was Vice Chairman of the Guernsey Financial Services Commission 1997 - 2002. He was then recommended for Crown Office and left private practice when Senior Partner. He successively held office as Comptroller General (Solicitor General) 1992 - 1999, and Procureur (Attorney General) 1999 - 2002. He was appointed

Queen's Counsel A King's Counsel (Post-nominal letters, post-nominal initials KC) is a senior lawyer appointed by the monarch (or their Viceroy, viceregal representative) of some Commonwealth realms as a "Counsel learned in the law". When the reigning monarc ...

in 1993. He also held office as Receiver General 1999 - 2002. Elevated to the Judiciary, he held the office of Deputy Bailiff 2002 - 2005 and was installed as the 88th Bailiff of Guernsey in June 2005. The Bailiff of Guernsey is ex-officio President of the Guernsey Court of Appeal. Geoffrey has also been a Judge of the Jersey Court of Appeal since 2005. He became a Fellow of the Society of Advanced Legal Studies 2001 and Honorary Master of the Bench of Gray's Inn 2008. Honorary Doctorates of Laws were conferred by the

University of Bournemouth Bournemouth University is a public university in Bournemouth, England, with its main campus situated in neighbouring Poole. The university was founded in 1992; however, the origins of its predecessor date back to the early 1900s. The universi ...

(2006) and the University of Southampton (2009). He held office as Provincial Grand Master, United Grand Lodge of Freemasons of England, 2000 - 2007. He is married to Diana, and they have two sons, Peter and John. He received the honour of knighthood (

Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised Order of chivalry, orders of chivalry; it is a part of the Orders, decorations, and medals ...

) in the 2009 Birthday Honours. Sir Geoffrey retired as Bailiff on 22 March 2012.

References

Alumni of the University of Southampton Bailiffs of Guernsey People educated at Elizabeth College, Guernsey Knights Bachelor Living people Members of Gray's Inn Judiciary of Jersey Year of birth missing (living people) {{Guernsey-bio-stub